HomeTVRecaps‘Black Sails’ season 1, episode 3 recap: High stakes make for strange bedfellows

On the latest episode of Black Sails, Captain Flint continues his quest for the Urca d’Lima. The question is what kind of deal is he prepared to make in order to capture the infamous Spanish galleon?

The Mysterious Miranda

Flint has apparently been hiding out at the house of Mrs. Miranda Barlow. The exact nature of their relationship is unclear, other than the fact that they obviously trust each other since Flint asks Miranda to keep an eye on Mr. Guthrie as he recuperates. The only clue we have to their connection is that Miranda tells Mr. Guthrie that if he reads the writings of Marcus Aurelius (a Roman statesman who rose to heights thanks to powerful women), he might understand who she is. We are left wondering if Miranda is a prisoner in her own house as the pastor fears, or some discarded plaything of Flint’s as Morley later states.

Eleanor and Her Father

Clearly there is no love lost between these two, but they need each other. Eleanor is the consistent breadwinner who got her father the power and prestige he now enjoys, while Mr. Guthrie has the cash that Eleanor will need if supply ships are cut off by the British navy.

John Silver, the Ultimate Opportunist

John Silver desires one thing and that is to stay alive by any means necessary. In order to accomplish that, he leaves a critical detail out of his transcription of the whereabouts of the Urca d’Lima. He’ll provide that detail to Flint in good time if he is let back on the ship and given the same plunder share as the crew. As a further show of good faith, he reveals three traitors to Billy Bones: Randall, Morley, and Turk.

Billy Bones Gets an Education

Billy knows he needs information on potential mutineers but goes about it the wrong way, despite Gate’s warning. John Silver ends up escaping “the guard” Billy assigned to him, and gets Billy the information he needed. Billy challenges Morley, but realizes he doesn’t know everything about Flint when Morley mentions Mrs. Barlow.

Quartermaster Deal Brokers

Gates and Rackham are the brains behind the rule of their respective, hot-headed captains. After each realizes they have an individual weakness — Gates is too old and Rackham owes his crew money — they decide to join forces to bring in the Urca d’Lima. The deal goes through despite insults from Flint, and Rackham’s doubts that Eleanor can provide needed supplies. By nightfall, the deal turns wildly in Flint’s favor when Vane’s treatment of Max results in Eleanor stripping Vane of any ability to earn, and essentially giving his crew no choice but to work for Flint.

Max Gambles Badly and Loses Even Worse

Despite being offered protection by Eleanor after her betrayal, Max slips out and is quickly caught by Vane’s men where she is raped by them at their leisure. She and Vane eventually talk, and he states that he had to capture her, and hope she understands her fate. She reveals that she didn’t take Eleanor’s deal because money means more to Eleanor than her. Max believes that Vane will let her go on a boat that Rackham intends to put her on in the dead of night on the condition she not return. Vane’s plans are foiled when the crew sees Rackham sneaking Max out and claim they aren’t done with her yet, resulting in a prolonged, public rape. Despite being rescued by Eleanor, Max chooses to stay with Vane, saying that she is his until he regains his position that he lost due to her.

Vane Gets Screwed

Despite being the calmest participant in the meeting called by Rackham and Gates, and eventually winning Eleanor’s favor, both monetary and sexual, Vane soon loses it all. Eleanor, when she discovers what Vane’s crew has done to Max under his command, emasculates Vane by taking away his ability to provide his crew a living. The only two to stay with Vane are Rackham and Anne Bonney, and only because he threatens to kill them. It’s obvious that Vane is left seething with rage.